Door operating device



Nov. 25, 1952 c. s. DAVIDSON 2,619,345

I DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

CHA/Pli: a. 0A woso/V B l- Nov. 25, 1952 c. s. DAVIDSON DOOR OPERATING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1949 m H W.

0/4211: 3. 0A waso/v Nov 25, 1952 c. s. DAVIDSON 2,619,345

DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 K I6 1 IE: 3.

JNVENTOR.

CHARZJF'S s. an v/aso/v Nov. 25, 1952 c. s. DAVIDSON 2,619,345

DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 [1 Q l j .Mhllllu f FHIIII I m I I Em Nov. 25, 1952 c. s. DAVIQDSON 2,619,345

DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 26, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 EN TOR.

C/MKZZS is. 04 r/osa/v BY A rraklvzrs Patented Nov. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PAENT OFFICE DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Charles S. Davidson, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Byrne Doors, Inc., Ferndale, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Claims. 1

The invention relates to door operating devices and refers more particularly to devices for operating industrial doors.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide an improved power operating device for a door in which the operative connection between the door and the power means permits relative movement of the connecting parts, the device having limit switch means for controlling the operation of the power means driven by the power means in a manner to compensate for the relative movement of the connecting parts.

The invention has for another object to provide an improved power operating device for a cable actuated door in which the cable is driven by a drum having slip driving engagement with the cable, the device having limit switch means for controlling the operation of the power means yieldably driven by the power means to compensate for slip of the cable on the drum.

The invention has for a further object to provide an improved power operating device in which the means for actuating the limit switch means is driven by the power means so that if the door is blocked while the power means is in operation the limit switch means will still function to avoid sever damage which might result from protracted operation of the power means.

The invention has for still another object to provide an improved door operating device having power means operatively connected to the door to operate the same, manually operable means adapted to be operatively connected to the door, in the event that it is not desired to use the power means or the power means is inoperative, and a brake which is normally applied when the power means is not in operation, this brake being constructed to facilitate breaking the operative connection betweenthe power means and the door and makin the operative connection between the manually operable means and the door.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an inside elevation of a dual door with an operating device embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view with parts broken away, and diagrammatically illustrated, of the operating device;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are respectively an end view, a side view and a top plan view of the operating device.

As illustrated in the drawings, the door operating device is employed to raise and lower to open and closed positions an industrial door of the vertical lift type, although it is apparent that this device may be used for moving to open and closed positions industrial doors of other types such as the horizontally movable and combined vertically and horizontally movable types.

The door is of conventional construction comprising the upper and lower leaves I and 2 respectively, adapted to be raised and lowered by the conventional arrangement of cables extending over the drum 3 of the door operating device which is mounted on the framing at one side of and above the door opening. The cable arrangement comprises the cables 4 and 5 operatively connected to the ends of the upper and lower leaves I and 2 respectively remote from the drum 3 and the cables 6 and I operatively connected to the ends of the upper and lower leaves I and 2 respectively closest to the drum 3. The cable 4 extends over the sheave 8 secured to the framing above the door opening and remote from the drum 3 and then extends downwardly around the sheave 9 secured to the top bar of the upper door leaf I and then upwardly to the anchor II] also mounted on the framing above the door opening. The cable 5 extends over the sheave II carried by the mounting for the sheave 8 and then downwardly and has its lower end connected to the top bar of the lower door leaf 2. The cable 6 extends downwardly from the drum 3 around the sheave I2 secured to the upper bar of the upper door leaf I and then upwardly to the anchor I3 which latter is mounted on the framing carrying the door operatin device above the door opening, The cable 7 extends downwardly from the drum 3 and has its end secured to the upper bar of the lower door leaf 2. Each cable extends in an individual groove in the drum 3 through an arc of approximately and has a depending portion which is secured to the counterweight I4 for counterbalancin the door. With this conveny tional construction, the drum 3 has a yieldable frictional or slip driving engagement with the cables 4, 5, 6 and 1.

The door operating device has the electric motor I5 which is adapted to be operatively connected by gearing to the drum 3. The support for the drum, electric motor and gearing comprises the side plates I 6 and I6 mounted on the framing and the bracket I! mounted on the side plate I6. The drum is located between the side plates and journalled on a shaft extending between and mounted on the side plates and. the

3 electric motor is located below and carried by the bottom plate |8 of the bracket. I9 is a gear secured to the drum and '20 is a pinion meshing with the gear I 9 and secured to one end of the shaft 2| which is journalled in the side plate l6 and the post 22 which latter is mounted on and extends upwardly from the bottom plate I8. 23 is a gear non-rotatably secured to and slidable longitudinally of the shaft 2|, the portion of the shaft engageable by the gear being of polygonal cross section and the hole in the hub of the gear being correspondingly shaped so that the hub has a sliding fit with the polygonal shaft portion. 24 is a pinion in mesh with the gear 23 and secured to the end of the shaft 25 which is journalled in the posts 26 and 21 which latter are mounted on and extend upwardly from the bottom plate I8. 28 is a pulley secured to the outer end of the shaft 25 beyond the bracket and operatively connected to the. electric motor I5 by the belt 29 which extends over the pulley 30 secured to one, end of the shaft. 3| of the electric mo or.

For controlling the electric. motor and more particularly breaking the electric circuit to the electric motor at the upper and lower limits of travel of the door at which time it is in open and closed position respectively, I have provided the micro limit switches 32 and 33 mounted on the bracket 34 supported by and secured to the 2 bottom plate I8. Theselimit switches are of conventional construction. I. have also provided the limit switch operating device 3.5 which comprises the, bushing 36 journalled on the shaft 31, the lever 38 sleeved on the bushing and abutting the shoulder formed by the head 39 of the bushing and the lever. 40 also sleeved on the bushing and spaced from the lever 38 by the spacer sleeve 4| encircling the bushing. The levers 38 and 40 are held from angular movement relative to each other and the bushing 36. by the nut. 42 threaded onthe end of the bushing remote from its head and the spring washer 43 between the nut and the adjacent lever. The levers have adjustably secured to their free ends the. screws 44 which areadapted upon angular movement of the levers to engage the, actuating plungers, ofthe limit switches. The shaft 31 extends at rightangles to the shaft 2| and is. journalled in the plate 45 secured to the, post 22 and the post 46 mounted on and extending upwardly from the bottom plate |8..This shaft is driven by the worm wheel 41 securedto the shaft 31. and the worm 48 meshing with the worm wheel and secured to the shaft. 2 The limit switch operating device, is yieldably frictionally driven by means of a friction clutch, one part of which is formed by the end. portion of the. head 39 of the bushing. and the other part of which is. formed by. the head 49 fixed to the shaft 31 with the facing 50 of friction materialtherebetween and preferably secured to the endportion of the head 39. 5| is a coil spring encircling the shaft 31 and abutting the washer 52 which in turn abuts the nut 42. and the head of the bushing 53' extending through. the, post, 46'. This spring is placed under compression. by the. nut 54 threaded on the shaft 31' and abutting the bushing 53, the construction being such that the. parts, of the frictionclutch are resiliently held in engagement with each other under, force which. may be variedby adjustment of the nut 54.

For the purpose of manually operating the door, I have provided the hand chain wheel 55 which is disconected from the drum 3'during the power operation of the operating device and. is adapted to be operatively connected to the drum upon breaking the operative connection between the electric motor I5 and the drum. This hand chain wheel is journalled on the bearing 55 which encircles the shaft 2| and extends through the upright plate 51 of the bracket I1 and is secured to the adjacent side plate Hi. The hand chain wheel is held from longitudinal movement on its bearing by forming the hub of the hand chain wheel with the annular groove 58 and providing the plate 59 extending into the groove and mounted on the upright plate 51. The opposed ends of the hubs of the hand chain wheel 55 and the gear '23 are formed with the cooperating clutch jaw teeth 60 and 6| respectively which are adapted to meshupon movement of the gear toward, the hand chain wheel after the gear has become disengaged from the pinion 24. This movement is opposed by the coil spring 62 encircling the shaft 2| and abutting the hub of the gear 23 and the bearing 56. The gear 23 is movable longitudinally of the shaft 2| by the shifting collar 63 pivotally connected at diametrically opposite sides to the links 64 which are pivotally connected to the links 65 secured to. the. shaft 66. The shaft 66 is iournalled in the post 22 and diagonal plates 61 extending between the, bottom plate l8 and upright plate 51 of the bracket. The end of this shaft beyond the bracket has secured thereto the angularly arranged levers. 68, to the free ends of which are secured the. chains 69 which extend downwardly toward the. floor asufficient distance. for actuation by. the operator. The pivots connecting the links 64 and 65 are adapted to be positioned off center when the clutch jaw teeth of the end chain wheel 54 and gear 22 are-in mesh thereby holding the parts in this position against the force. exerted by the spring 62.

I have also provided a. disk brake which is automatically released when the electric circuit to the electric motor is made and automatically applied when this electric circuit is broken. This brake comprises the disk 10 freely encircling the shaft 25. and non-rotatably secured to the pulley 28.by. means of the annular series of rivets. H. The disk has secured thereto the brake lining 12. The. brake also comprises the disk 13 slidable longitudinally of the shaft 25 15 are pins at diametrically opposite sides of the shaft 25 and longitudinally slidable in the, plate 16 secured to and forming part of the post 21. These pins abut the disk 73 and are adapted: to be moved longitudinally, to force the disk 13 into engagement with; the brake lining 12 by the'abutments 11 secured to. the levers 18 which are pivotallymounted' on the post 21. The free ends of the levers are pivotally connected to the links 19', the lower endsof which are; connected to the coil' springsBO and the upperends of which are connected to the. levers 8 I. These levers are pivotally connected at one end to the:shaft.65 and at the other end to the singlecore 82 of. the solenoid83 which is mounted on the. post 21. The coil springs 86. are adjustabl'yconnected to the bottom plate |8 by the eye bolts 8.4. Thewiring'connecting the coil of the solenoid 83: and the electric motor l5 to the electric power line is such that, when the push button for making the electric circuit including the electric motor I5is op-' erated; the electric circuit including the coil of the solenoid I5 is also completed so. that the disk brake is released, the solenoid l5 overcoming; the coil springs Also when the electriccircuit to the electric motor |5 is broken the electric' circuit to the coil of the solenoid 83 is broken and the coil springs 80 then function to apply the disk brake.

For the purpose of facilitating the disengagement of the gear 23 from the pinion 2 3 when moving the gear to engage its jaw teeth 6| with the jaw teeth 60 of the hand chain wheel 55, the axially movable disk l3 has a limited angular movement. This angular movement is limited by the lugs 85 secured to and extending chordwise of the disk and engageable with the edges of the plate 16, the particular edge depending upon the direction of rotation.

With the above construction, the electric motor l5 drives the drum 3 through intermediate reduction gearing, the drum havin slip driving engagement with the cables connected to the door. The electric motor also drives the device 35 for operating the micro limit switches 32 and 33 through part of the intermediate gearing and other reduction gearing. The levers 38 and do of the limit switch operating device are fixedly angularly positioned relative to each other at an angle depending on the height of the door opening and the screws M are adjusted in the levers and the limit switches are positioned so that upon rotation of the electric motor rotor in one direction and rotation of the drum in one direction for a predetermined amount, one of the screws engages and actuates one of the limit switches. Also, upon rotation of the electric motor rotor and the drum in opposite directions for a predetermined amount, the other of the screws engages and actuates the other of the limit switches. The limit switches are constructed with a minimum of overtravel allowance (no overtravel as nearly as possible) so that upon engagement of a screw with a limit switch the latter exerts a pressure upon the screw and its lever resisting rotation of the limit switch operating device and overcoming the friction between the parts of the friction clutch for driving the limit switch operating device, compelling the parts to slip relative to each other in an amount equal to the coast or overtravel of the door by reason of the relative angular movement of the brake disks. This action positions the lever of the limit switch operating device with respect to the final position of the door, the operation being the same for both levers of the limit switch operating device in the opposite directions of travel of the door.

In actual practice, the limit switch operating device 35 is angularly positioned by manual operation of the door through the chain hand wheel 55 and the screws Ml are adjusted so that the limit switches 32 and 33 are operated to stop the electric motor i5 before actual contact of the door with the sill or sofilt, any stretch in the cables being taken into account so that the door in its final position is either fully closed or open.

It will thus be seen that the door operating device provides complete control of the severity of impact of the door at each of its limits of travel.

The construction is also such that if the door is blocked mechanically as by an obstruction in the door opening, such as a truck or by jambed mechanism, the proper limit switch will be operated when the drum has slipped with respect to the cables a sufiicient amount, thereby avoiding severe damage which might result from protracted operation of the electric motor.

Also with the above construction, the disk brake comprising the disk elements iii, l2 and 13, is normally applied when the electric motor I5 is not in operation, the mechanism for applying the disk brake comprising the pins 15 abutting the disk !3, the levers 73 having the abutments l1 engaging the pins, the links is and the coil springs 88. The frictional resistance to rotation of the disk 13 exerted by the pins 15 is relatively small and appreciably less than the frictional resistance to rotation of the disk 13 exerted by the brake linin 12 and disk 10. With the electric motor in operation, the disk brake is released by the solenoid 83 which is energized at the same time as the electric motor, this solenoid acting through its core 82 and the levers 8| on the links 19 to swing the levers I8 in the releasing direction.

By providing the disk It with the lugs 85 engageable with the edges of the plate 16 recoil of the cables is used to relieve the pressure between the teeth of the pinion 2t and gear 23 so that the latter may be more easily moved axially out of engagement with the pinion into interlocking engagement with the hand chain wheel 55. Assuming the electric motor to be operating and the brake to be released, it will be seen that upon operation of one of the limit switches that the brake is automatically applied and one of the lugs St is forced tightly against the plate 15. However, by reason of momentum of the rotor, the drum is momentarily driven beyond the point of equilibrum to either relieve or increase the tension of the cables connected to the door depending upon whether the door is closed or open. After the rotor rotation stops, the equilibrium is re-established, the cables being permitted to recoil so that slight movement in the reverse direction of the disk 13 occurs. This slight movement is suflicient to relieve the friction between the meshing teeth of the pinion 2:3 and gear 23 but is not great enough to force the opposite sides of the teeth of the pinion and gear into tight engagement. As a result the axial movement of the gear 23 out of engagement with the pinion 24 is facilitated to provide for coupling the hand chain wheel with the drum.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An operating device for a cable actuated door balanced by a counterweight connected to the cable, comprising a drum having slip driving engagement with the cable, an electric motor, a pulley operatively connected to said electric motor, gearing for operatively connecting said drum to said pulley, said gearing having a pinion operatively connected to said pulley, a shaft operatively connected to said drum and a gear non-rotatably mounted on and movable longitudinall of said shaft from a position in mesh with said pinion to a position out of mesh with said pinion, a manually operable chain wheel encircling said shaft, said gear and chain Wheel having clutch teeth engageable with each other when said gear is out of mesh with said pinion, a disk brake comprising a brake disk connected to said pulley and a cooperating brake disk movable toward and away from said first mentioned brake disk, spring means for exerting pressure on said cooperating brake disk to apply the disk brake when said electric motor is de-energized, a solenoid for relieving said cooperating brake disk from the pressure of said spring means to release said disk brake when said electric motor is energized, a stationary abutment and a lug on said cooperating brake disk movable into firm engagement with said stationary abutment upon deenergization of said electric motor and movable out of firm engagement with said abutment durconnected tosaid drum and a gear non-rotatably mounted on and movable longitudinally of said shaft from a position in mesh with said pinion to a position out of mesh with said pinion, a manually operable chain wheel, cooperating clutch means on said gear and chain wheel engageable with each other when said gear is out of mesh with said pinion, a second brake disk movable toward and away from said first mentioned brake disk, spring means for exerting pressure on said second brake disk to hold the same in operative relation to said first mentioned brake disk when said power means is out of operation, the frictional resistance to rotation of said second brake disk resulting from the pressure applied by said spring means being less than the frictional resistance between said brake disks to relative rotation thereof, asolenoid for relieving said second brake disk from the pressure of said spring means when said power means is in operation, a stationary abutment and lug means on said second brake disk movable into firm engagement with said stationary abutment when said power means is out of operation and movable out of firm engagement with said abutment during recoil of the cable thereby decreasing the pressure exerted by the teeth of said pinion upon the teeth of said gear and decreasing the frictional resistance tomovement of said gear out of mesh with said pinion.

3. An operating device having a cable actuated door comprising a drum in driving engagement with the cable, power means, a rotatable brake member driven by said power means, means for driving said drum from said power means comprising a pinion rotatable with said rotatable brake member, a shaft operatively connected to said drum, and a gear non-rotatably mounted on and movable longitudinally of said shaft from a position in mesh with said pinion to a position out of mesh with said pinion, a manually operable chain wheel, cooperating clutch means on said gear. and chain wheel engageable with each other when said gear is out of mesh with said pinion, a brake member cooperablewith said rotatable brake member, means for moving said second brake member into operative relation with said rotatable brake member when said power means is out of operation, the frictional resistance to rotation of said second brake member resulting from the pressure applied by said moving means being less than the frictional resistance between said brake. membersto relativerotation thereof, a stationary abutment and lug'means on said second brake member movable into firm engagement with said stationary abutmentwhen said power means is out of operation and movable out of firm engagement with said abutment during recoil of the. cable thereby decreasing the pressure exerted by the teeth of said pinion upon the teeth of said gear and decreasingv the frictional resistance to movement of said gear out of mesh with said pinion.

4. An operating device for a cable actuated door' comprising a drum in driving engagement with the cable, power means, means for driving said. drum. from said power means comprising a pinion, a shaft operatively connected to said drum and a gear non-rotatable on and movablelongitudinally of said shaft from a position in mesh' with said pinion to a position out of mesh with said pinion, a manually operable chain wheel, cooperating clutch means on said gear and chain wheel en-- gageable with each other when said gear is out oi mesh with said pinion, and a brake between said power means and pinion comprising cooperating brake members, one of said brake members having limited angular movement.

5. An operating device for a cable actuated door comprising a drum in driving engagement with the cable, power means, means for driving said drum from said power means comprising a pinion, a shaft operatively connected to said drum and agear non-rotatable on and movable longitudinally of said shaft from a position in mesh with said pinion to a position out of mesh withsaid pinion, a manually operable chain wheel, cooperating clutch means on said gear and chain wheel engageable with each other when said gear is out of mesh with said pinion, and a brake between said power means and pinion comprising a rotatable brake member driven by said power means and a cooperating brake member having limited angular movement.

6. An operating device for a cable actuated door balanced by a counterweight connected to the cable, comprising a drum having slip driving engagement with-the cable, power means for positively driving said drum, limit switch means for controlling the operation of said power means and an actuating device for said limit switch means, comprising contactmeans engageable with said limit switch means and a friction clutch between said contact means and power means for driving said contact means from said power means, one of said limit switch means and said limit switch actuating device being limited in its movement in a direction actuating said limit switch means to compel the parts of said clutch to slip relative to each other in an amount to com pensate for the coast of the-door;

7. An operating device for a cable actuated door balanced by a counterweight connected to the cable comprising a drum having slipdriving engagement with the cable, an electric motor for positively driving said drum in opposite directions. limit switches for controlling the operation of said electric motor, angularly movable levers engageable' with said limit switches for operating the same, and a friction clutch operatively connecting said electric motor and levers for angularly moving said levers from said electric motor, said limit switches having limited overtravel allowance and compelling relative movement of the parts of said friction clutch and adjustment of said levers with respect to the final position of the door.

8. An operating device for a cable actuated door comprising a drum having. slip driving engagement with the cable, an electric motor, gearing for operatively connecting said drum positively to said electric motor, limit switches for controlling the operation of said electric motor and an actuating device for said limit switches comprising levers movable angularly in unison with each other for operating said limit switches and a friction clutch between said gearing and levers for driving said levers from said gearing, said limit switches having limited overtravel allowance and compelling the parts of said clutch to slip relative to each other.

9. An operating device for a cable actuated door balanced by a counterweight connected to the cable comprising a drum having slip driving engagement with the cable, power means for positively driving said drum, limit switch means for controlling the operation of said power means and an actuating device for said limit switch means comprising lever means engageable with said limit switch means, a friction clutch between said lever means and power means for driving said lever means from said power means, one of said limit switch means and said lever means having a limited movement to compel the parts of said friction clutch to slip relative to each other.

10. An operating device for a cable actuated door balanced by a counterweight connected to the cable comprising a drum having slip driving engagement with the cable, power means for positively driving said drum, limit switches for controlling the operation of said power means, contact members engageable with said limit REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,254,696 Jenkins Jan. 29, 1918 1,465,695 Stewart Aug. 21, 1923 1,649,797 Winn Nov. 15, 1927 1,928,611 Bancroft Oct. 3, 1933 1,962,475 Blodgett June 12, 1934 2,110,231 McCloud Mar. 8, 1938 2,390,117 Michelman Dec. 4, 1945 

